grow tent newbie help

I use a grow tent also and I usually leave my light 5 inches from the top of my plant at all times and I run a 4ft long 8 bulb t5 bad boy and I don't get any problems with heat build up or burn from them. I use a fan to pull air out of the tent and keep it on low. It's easier to pull air out than push it in to the tent to try and cool it off. I use a simple clamp can towards the bottom of the tent and a vent fan that's all keeps it 70-75 perfectly also if your having problems with heat turn your light cycle to where the lights are on majority at night seeing as it is majority cooler at night. Just what I do you can check out my grow journal to see anything else.

How big is your tent? And how big is your light? Also forgot to mention I try to keep my temp gauge directly in between my light and plant so if your light is 6 ft from the floor I put the gauge as close to the plant and as close to 3ft as possible.

 

You mention that you dont want your temps over 80f, but never told us what the temps actually get up to.

Are you just concerned about a potential problem, or is it already a problem?

I have a 3x2x2 tent with 4x 3ft T5 bulbs in it, running 24/7 and only a small fan pulling air out of the tent and the flaps barely open on the sides to let a little air in... Im actually using the same exact fan that came in your kit.

Temps stay right at 75f all day, all night.

 

I keep them between 70-75 that's is what is optimal. You def don't want them that high. Night time is perfect that's what you should shoot for during the day. Your tent is a little smaller. Try adding a fan blowin in for more ventilation. It can be a problem just it will be hot can cause plant burn. Keeping light further away will help keep that from happening and you will use more water. I would try and get either a stronger exhaust fan or get a fan pulling in too. I use the box fan not sure if you can see it in my pics but I have a flap on the side of mine and turn the box fan on low and it pulls like a champ. The smaller ones are more for strengthening the stalks gets them strong for plant training.

 

I would get ducting. You can pic it up cheap at lowes like $5 and hang the hose down lower to the light. Helps keep you from having to change the night of the fan all the time. Your area is a little tighter you could open a flap a the bottom of the tent and then hang the ducting closer to the lights and is will pull from the bottom up helping cool the whole tent. Also what cfm is your online fan? I literally use a box fan that pulls air in the top and pushes it out the bottom and I have no temp problems at all she stays perfect 24/7

 

OP still hasnt clarified if he is actually having problems with heat already or if he is simply concerned about it maybe being an issue in the future. The answer to that will (should) affect the next steps.

Obviously its working for you, just curious why you set it up this way?

Warm air rises. Cold air falls.

It would be more efficient to pull cool air in from the bottom and pull warm air out from the top. By doing this, your taking the already hot air in the top of the tent and pulling it out of the room while simultaneously pulling in cool air from the bottom and causing your cool air to circulate bottom-to-top in your tent.

They way you have it set up, you're pushing the hot air across the tent, and your plants, and then trying to suck it out of the bottom.... working against the laws of science

 

Yes, the temps rise... but what do they rise to?
What is the MAX temp that you have seen it get up to?
What is the air temp outside of the tent?

 

Ya but I am using a box fan lol not really easy to mount it to the top of my tent Ahaha but I also have it in my garage so the ambient air outside the tent is constantly in the 60's or so stays cool works for me I will get the online fan eventually but this is working good for me. I got this one late and this is how she turned out they love it. She is 6 weeks old and I jus force flowered her wanted to keep her shorter and bushy. Really depends on where your tent is and the environment outside of it on how you run your fans but since you have heat I would be pulling from the top like you are. Just to share a pic of my recent baby in my tent.

 

I still say keep the fan where the hot air rises to and draw it out from there but either use a bigger inline fan for more cfm (shouldn't need much for your area) or have a fan or multiple flaps open on the bottom to allow fresh air in.

 

160cfm is more than enough.

Seriously... some basic questions:

What is the current temp in the tent?
What is the max temp you have seen in the tent?
What is the temp outside the tent?

The fans/ducting you have are more than enough for your tent. Above/below... shoudlnt matter, the fan is strong enough to suck all the air out.

 

Something is wrong with one of them you should have no problem getting the proper air circulation to cool that area. Multiply your width times depth and then multiply that number by your height. Then multiply that number by 3 and then divide it by 60 that will give you the amount of cfms required to refill your tent with new air 3 times an hr if your lower than that on your exhaust fan then use your inlet fan also as an exhaust and just open the lower flaps. Also if your ambient air outside the tent is 80 degrees you will never get lower than that so if it is indoors wrap up in a blanket and drop the ac down to 69 or so and you will be golden.

 

160 cfms is actually more than enough I would just remove the inlet fan it might be pulling faster than it can push try and open hole and see how it works. Idk how u are using that many cfms and not able to keep it cool for your tent size

 

Thats exactly why I kept asking the questions about the actual temps. I agree, with what he has, theres no reason the temps should be getting upwards of 90f unless something else is way off.

Also agree that there is no need for an intake fan. You want negative pressure in the tent (aka: more air flowing out than in causing suction).

 

Yep delete the inlet fan just use an opening and drop the ac in the house or move to a cooler place. Is it in your house or garage? The ambient air around it will depict what the temp in the tent will be what's the outside air temp?

 

Only time I ever saw 90 I got scared Ahaha I put a 600watt hps in a closet and shut the door lol a little to high to be trying that out lol also it was only a 4ftx3ftx8ft tall lol